BILLY CORGAN SAYS HE PLAYS A VILLAIN IN A PUBLIC, GETS PISSY FOR BEING UNDERAPPRECIATED

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan discussed his passion for professional wrestling in a new interview with Spinner. He also stated he plays the role of a heel, a wrestling term for villain, in public, “In my case, I’ve often played the public heel because I often feel that is sort of my role. I’m probably a guy that has a world-class gift but often I get treated sometimes like someone that just wandered into a grocery store and just happened to be standing there when the light bulb went on. I do get kind of pissy by being underappreciated and so at times I go kind of ‘Piper.’ I play the heel to draw attention to myself and most importantly to let people know I think I do belong in a room with everyone else.”

Bio: Mike Mazarone graduated from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting in 2011 with a degree in communications, basically relegating him to better then you status (Except for boss Brett Buchanan). Before joining the AlternativeNation staff he was a contributor and producer to Brett Buchanan’s pro wrestling/MMA/comedy radio show – Barbaric Wrestling Radio, from 2006 to 2009. Mazzarone’s job there was to be a contributor and book interviews. After the show ended Buchanan hired Mazzarone right away to be AlternativeNation's head reporter.
Contact: MJMazarrone (at) yahoo.com or; mike (at) alternativenation.net

Wow, self-centered much? This guy’s ego is so massive he can’t even make an ounce of sense anymore, let alone a halfway-decent album with his band of lackeys.

Pingfah

Oceania is one of his best albums.

Creative Grunge Reference

I like Oceania for the most part but if he points to that as one of his best albums than that underscores that he should not be in the upper-tier of bands where he thinks he belongs. It’s really a boring album with moments of greatness (which is pretty much every album Smashing Pumpkins have). With the exception of Mellon Collie and Siamese Dream everything he’s done has been average with brief flashes of greatness. It takes more than that to be one of the greats. Just my opinion.

Is he one?

He is right and he is a world class talent, no doubt about it for me. It’s his choice to say it himself, I don’t think I would personnally. As for the villain, yeah, that had became clear he is playing a role.

I love him anyway, he’s just the best.

versus

If you call albums like Adore and Oceania “average with brief flashes of greatness,” you have no credibility. You may not be a fan of the band, but both these albums are classics, and probably the 2 best albums Billy ever made. I’d like to know what you consider to be “boring.” Is an album boring just because every song doesn’t have loud guitars?

jesus

despite all his rage he’s still just a villian in a public.

Creative Grunge Reference

Obviously it boils down to personal tastes but Adore and Oceania are not classic albums in my opinion and it has nothing to do with loud guitars. I consider them boring because for me personally they have very little replay value. The musicianship and song structures on Adore to me are boring and every song is instantly forgettable. The only songs I even consider re-listening to on Adore are Tear, Pug and Ava Adore. As for Oceania, every song just drifts along without ever going anywhere. They all start promisingly and feel like they are building towards peak emotional moments and they just never get there. In additon the lyrics throughout are awful. Panopticon and Violet Rays are the only songs that strike me as anything special. If you really think these albums are more interesting in terms of the song writing than Mellon Collie then I would offer your credibility is also strained. Clearly we have different personal tastes and I’m not trying to convince you mine is correct – just offering up my perspective that you can take or leave.

Is he one?

This is not a very popular opinion Creative Grunge Reference. Not a very fair critic IMO. I do not think Adore and Oceania are better than MCIS and Siamese Dream, but they are absolutely gorgeous and definitely a lot better than you describe them to be.

Creative Grunge Reference

Out of curiosity what is it that you find makes those albums gorgeous. Slow tempo and reverb does not instantly make something gorgeous. Personally I find them both sterile and lacking any kind of emotion. I’m aware that among SP fanboys my opinion on Adore is not popular but lets not forget that Adore has benefited greatly from revisionist history. When that album first came out very few people (including Pumpkins fans) liked it. As time has passed and he continued to put out mediocre material I think it has fallen in to the “well at least it’s better than what he’s been doing” category. Billy wants to be considered on of the greats and if that album is the best example as to why, then I don’t think many would agree outside of the Pumpkins community.

Is he one?

Oceanis is filled with classics. “One diamond, one heart”, “Pinwheels”, “The Celestials”, “Oceania” to name a few are just so amazingly beautiful, I can’t believe someone who appreciated SD and MCIS that much would deny that.

Creative Grunge Reference

Yes, but what about them do you find beautiful. I listen to those songs and they sound fine, but they just don’t go anywhere. I feel nothing from them. Emotionally they end up in the same place they start which is boring to me. Pinwheels is the perfect example of what I’m talking about. Begins with a nice enough synth loop, sustained guitars come in, then the lead guitar to match the vocal – typical way to start a song – and then it just stops – everything goes out and the song never goes anywhere. The only cool thing about The Celestials to me is during the second verse when the rhythm guitar drops out and the bass is driving – but then it just comes right back to where it started.

Is he one?

It’s a matter of opinion then, I think it’s the best album to come out from any band in many, many years. I like the feeling in his vocals, the lyrics, the guitars, the bass, the drum fills. Everything really.

Scott McLean

I’m a time traveler.

Creative Grunge Reference

Fair enough. Agree to disagree — appreciate your feedback

plowhorse

Look, enough of the ‘defending his catalogue’ bullshit. What this article is ONLY referring to is something Corgan said. And what he said sounds childish, self-centered and insecure. Sorry uber-fans, but it does.

paulonious

“world class talent”. who fucking says shit like this? only an egomaniacal douche.

Shoegazer

Adore has no emotion? That’s absurd. It’s probably one of the most emotional albums I have ever heard. Billy had just lost his drummer and best friend, his mother, & his marriage. I feel his pain every time I listen to the album. I’m actually quite surprised to hear this album dissed. It’s almost universally regarded as Billy’s masterpiece by both critics and fans.

Stosh

Its awesome that he’s a wrestling fan. Wrestling is so outrageous and fun.

Mike

He’s a Bell-end! Google with Ali G if you don’t know what that means.

http://nemsworld.com Christine

Villain is as Villain does?

Billy, these interview comments are completely contrary to the thoughts behind healing in the interview with Shambhala Sunspace Feb 25.

Pick a side Billy, you’re at constant war with yourself.

http://nemsworld.com Christine

PS: “I play the heel to draw attention to myself and most importantly to let people know I think I do belong in a room with everyone else.”

^ Confirms he is in fact his own worst enemy and the diva everyone accuses him of being.

Billy, just write some songs dude, or if your miserable, then don’t. Pick a side.

Justin

If you guys are just gonna post bad news about corgan because you don’t like him then you need to grow up. You post news not opinions

Butthead

Hey Brett, what happened to renaming this site alternativenation.net?

BillyL

Man, he just sounds like the biggest, whiniest egomaniac saying things like that. When you write songs that people respond to, you get the attention you deserve. Ability doesn’t mean talent. In his ability to play the guitar, Corgan could probably play circles around Lennon and McCartney, or hell, even Cobain, but could he write songs on their level and with the same consistency? No. And he hasn’t. Be grateful for the success you’ve had and stop trying to force people to worship you just because you think you deserve it. Write songs that move millions of people and you’ll get the magazine covers and internet praise you so obviously desire, but don’t blame it on everyone else. When you think everyone around you is an asshole, you’re probably the asshole.

GwynnKatie

Wow. He’s talking about himself in the third person – his heel persona.
The Wrestling Villain.
You know… *wrestling*?
Like… Ric Flair & The Four Horseman
Kane
Randy Orton
Rowdy Roddy Piper
The Undertaker or Harley Race